August 5, 2008

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.

--Philippians 4:4

Think about today’s Scripture verse for a moment, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.” What wonderful Christian wisdom! This contagious, conspicuous, continuous joy should be the mark of every believer. 

But you might be saying to yourself, “Well, I’m a believer, but I don’t always feel joyful. My life’s in chaos right now. How on earth do I rejoice in the Lord?”

Pay attention to the key phrase that the apostle Paul uses over and over again in the book of Philippians: in the Lord.

Now, why should that bring you joy? Because, if you’re a believer, you are in Christ. And in Christ, there is security, there is strength, and there is peace. As a follower of Christ, you should find your joy in Him… not in your circumstances. 

Now, I’m not talking about putting on a plastic smile and pretending to be happy or being superficial and phony. I’m talking about a joy deep within us that can’t help but come out. It’s what Chuck Swindoll calls “outrageous joy.”

Wouldn’t you love for the joy of the Lord to be so strong in you that it could be called outrageous?

Keep in mind that Satan knows there is joy in the Lord, and he diligently tries to steal it from you. He wants to rob you of that joy through disappointments, defeat, or discouragement. He wants to make you weak and vulnerable, because it’s our joy in the Lord that keeps us strong and draws others to Christ!

Jesus is the source of all joy. So when your circumstances don’t make you feel all that joyful, rejoice in the Lord. Praise Him, because when you exalt Christ in your life, you will find true joy. 

LOOK BEYOND YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES TODAY AND REJOICE BECAUSE OF THE HOPE YOU HAVE IN CHRIST.